Descaling, cleaning, and coating machine



MarCh 10,12.; M MURPHY '2,275,793

DEscALING, CLEANING AND COATING MACHINE' Filed July 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l March O, 1942. p, M MURPHY 2,275,793 DEscALING, CLEANING AND comme-MACHINE .piled July 17, 1940 a Smeets-sheetv 2 E Z.'N R.

o l Datel/M Uffa/5y 75' v A l i x March l0, 1942.'

P. M. MURPHY DESpALING, CLEANING AND COATING MACHINE "Filed July 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 specifically, this invention relates to the mechaniflexv the metal in a plurality of directions and cal flexing of elongated metal material to crack 5. thus crack oil and loosen the mill scale. Rod or l o any scale therefrom together withl the chemistrip'material direct fromthe descaling sheaves cal washing of the material with lime water to is wound for a plurality of turns around a drum remove scale dust and lime coat the material. immersed ina chemical treating bath. The drum fabricating machinery and dies such, as for exwashes oi any remaining scale dust, smut and loosened scale iiakes have been proposed, but lubricated with some sort of a soap lubricant.

rammed Mar. io, i942 unirsi) STATES -raraNr OFFICE nEscAmNG, ANDCOATING Peter M. Murphy, Sterling, Ill., assignor to Northwestern Steel and Wire Company, Sterling, lll., a corporation o! Illinois Application Jul-y 17, 1940, Serial No. 346,028 5 Claims. (Cl. 91-46) This invention relates to the descaling, clean- According tothis invention, metal rod or strip ing and coating of elongatedv metal material such .material direct from the mill is passed between as metal rods, metal strips and the like. More a plurality of staggered descaling sheaves which immediate processing without further cleaning. l` sheaves and also serves as a support for the metal against oxidation and moisture but provides a hot lime water and is preferably agitated as the surface which will retain lubricant for protecting metal passes therethrough. The limeI water ample, wire drawing dies. l the like and Aat the samev time coats the metal Hot rolled metal rods and strips are covered with lime. After passage around the drum for a with mill scale which has a very abrasive action plurality of turns the metal is directed out of on metal fabricating machinery and which must .the bath a-nd ofi the drum into the atmosphere be removed before the metal is subjected to any where the hot lime waterlm remaining .on the` cold working operations. Mechanical descaling metal soon evaporates, leaving a dried coating of devices have heretofore been proposed for cracklime thereon The lime-coated metal can then ing off and loosening the mill scale, but these mebe directly passed into any metal fabricating chanical devices always leave scale dust and device such as a drawing die, a bolt and upsetting some scale akeson the metal.` Many mechanimachine, or the like. In cases where the metal cal devices for removing this scale dust and `semiis drawn through a drawing die. the die is usually none of these mechanical devices are entirely The lime coating on the metal actsas a base for satisfactory nor do they render it practical to imthe lubricant and serves to retain lubricant mediately fabricate the metal after the mechanithereon so that the die willbe eflciently lubri- A cal descaling operation. cated.A If desired, the metal from thedescaling It has therefore been the practice for rod and sheavesr can first be passed through an alkaline y strip mills to pass the hot rolled metal rods or cleaning solution prior to passage intothe lime strips through a cleaning house treatment water bath. This cleaning solution enhances the wherein the metal is subjected to a plurality of cleaning of the metal. chemical baths and washers for producing a It is then an object of this. invention to pro limed rod or strip capable of being cold worked vide a Ycontinuous mechanical and chemical or fabricated without injury to the fabricating process for removing mill scale from elongated apparatus or dies. metal material such as hot rolled rods, strips and According to the present invention rods or the like. strips direct from rod and strip mills are sub- 4o A further object of the invention is to provide jected to a mechanical bending or flexing operasimple inexpensive apparatus for continuously tion for loosening and cracking oli mill scale' descaling, cleaning and ycoating elongated metal thereon and are then immediately treated in a rods, strips and the like. chemical bath or a plurality of chemical baths A specific object of the invention'is to elimifor washing oi the loosened scale dust and flakes nate the heretofore necessary expensive cleanand for. delivering a lime coated rod or strip to a ing house treatment of hot rolled metal rod 1 fabricating machine such as a wire drawing die, and strip by a combined continuous mechanical a 'bolt machine or the like. The mechanical and 'chemical descaling, cleaning and coating descaling, thev chemical treatment and the metal process. fabrication are all 'tied togetherin a continuous 50 Another specific object of the invention is .to operation. The heretofore necessary cleaning provide an inexpensive simple machine for flexhouse treatment is eliminated without interfering metal rod or strip to crack 01T' and loosen ing with the smooth and eiicient operation of mill -scale therefrom and for immediately there- .Y any cold working apparatus for fabricating the after. chemically treating and coating the flexed rod or strip. 5,3 metal toV remove the remaining scale dust and toy y II of Figure 1;

provide a coated product suitable for direct peripheries of the descaling sheaves carried by fabrication into finished articles. the plate I0. As best shown in Figure 4, in-

Another specific object of the invention is to flex metal rod or strip in a plurality of directions for cracking off and loosening mill scale therefrom and immediately thereafter passing the metal through a lime water bath maintained at temperatures around 200 F. forvwashing off the loosened scale dust and for coating the metal with lime.

Other and further objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which disclose preferred forms of apparatus forming part of this invention and capable of carrying out the process of this invention. f

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a descaling, cleaning and coating machine according to this invention; v,

Figure 2 is a rear end elevational view of the machine shown in Figure 1 taken along the line Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line V-V of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a simplified form of a machine according to this invention wherein only one treating tank is used.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures l and 3 the reference numeral I0 designates a vertical plate supported on top of a frame designated generally by the reference character A. The plate I rotatably supports, near the front end thereof, a pair of superimposed guide rollers II. The plate also rotatably supports a plurality of peripherally groved descaling sheaves I2, I3 and I4 in spaced horizontally aligned relationship. Portions I and I6 are cut out of theplate and receive slide blocks I1 and I6 therein. These slide blocks rotatably carry peripherally grooved descaling sheaves I9 and 2Il respectively above and between the sheaves I2, I3 and I4.

Bars 2I are bolted on top of the plate III and bridge the open tops of the cut out portions I5 and I6. Bolts 22 are threaded through the bars for engagement against the top of the slide blocks- I1 and I8 to urge the sheaves I9 and 20 downwardly for a desired distance between the sheaves I2, I3 and I4.

The frame A carries guide block 23. l

A rod R. is passed through the guide block 23, between the guide rollers II and over and under the descaling sheaves shown. The rod is thus a centrally apertured flexed and the scale thereon is loosened and' cracked off by the flexing operation. If desired, the rollers II can have sharp scarifying rod receiving peripheries to scratch the scale for facilitating the cracking off operation as the rod passes between the sheaves.

A tank 30 is suspended in a framework B in spaced longitudinal relation from the frame A.

A second plate 3I tilted preferably at a 45 and B zontally aligned peripherally sheaves 32 and 33. The sheaves 32 and 33 are mounted on vertical axes so that their peripheries will act on the rod R at right angles is driven by a chain,

clined spacer members or bosses such as 34 provide support for the vertical axles 35 of the sheaves.

The plate 3l has a centrally cut out portion 36 receiving a slide block 31 therein. The slide block is backed by a stationary plate 38 holding the block in the cut out portion 36 and providing an end wall 38a bridginglthe open end of the cut out portion and receiving an adjusting bolt 39 therethrough to urge the blockv toward the inner end of the cut out portion 36.

A boss 40 is' mounted on the slide block 31 projects vertically therefrom. The end of the boss has a reduced axle portion 4I thereon receiving a sheave 42 in rotatable relation therearound. The sheave 42 is positioned between the sheaves 32 and 33 as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

'IIhe bolt 39 is therefore operative to move the sheave 42 between the sheaves 32 and 33 for any desired distance in order to control the amount of flexing of the rods passing over the sheaves 32 and 33. Sincethe slide block 31 is inclined, and since it is desirable to maintain the sheave 42 in horizontal alignment with the sheaves 32 and 33,v a plurality of washers or spacers 43 may then be disposed around the axle 4I under the sheave. Thus when the slide block 31 is moved further into the cut out portion 36 a washer 43 can be removed to drop the sheave 42 so that it will be in horizontal alignment with the non- 'around the sheaves and re-contact the rod.

.A guide block 44 receives the rod therethrough from the sheave 33.

The tank 30 has a vertical partition wall 30a therein dividing the tank into a compartment C aligned with the guide block 44 and a second compartment Ci on the back side of the apparatus.

The framework B carries bearing blocks 45 on each side of the tank 30 and a shaft 46 is rotatably mounted in the bearing blocks and extends across the open top of the tank. A drum 41 is mounted on the y the tank. A second drum 43 is the compartment C1 of the tank. The shaft 46 is driven by a large gear 49 from a pinion 50'on va stub shaft 5I rotatably carried in a bearing block 52 mounted on the frame B. The stub shaft 5I is driven by a sprocket 53. The sprocket 53 in turn not shown, connected Vwith a prime mover or a moving portion of a fabricating machine with which the apparatus of this invention can be synchronized.'

' or 12 turns about the drum 41 and is then passed from the to the 7 -directed over the guide drum over an overhead sheave 55 rotatably mounted in spaced relation above the tank 30. After passage over the sheave 55 vthe rod is clirected downwardly and around the drum 43 for 10 or 12 turns. From the drum 48 the rod iwheel 56to an overhea( guide wheel 51, thence horizontally to a space horizontal direction. The

shaft 46 for rotation in the coming material in the top f the tank (Figure 5)..

This live steam will guide wheel B above the sheave 55, thence down,- wardly under a guide wheel 59 rotatably carried in a support 60 from the main frame B for travel into a drawing die or other fabricating machine (not shown).

The drum 48 has 'a plurality of paddles 48a formed around the tank compartment C1.

C is supplied with an alkaline liquid such as an aqueous caustic alkaline solution through a feed pipe 8| having a valved end 62 communicating with the top portion of the compartment. Excess solution is removed from the top portion of the tank through an opening 63 shown in Figure 1. 'I'he alkaline solution is preferably heated and may either be supplied in a heated condition through the pipe 6| or the compartment C can be equipped with a heater, for heating the alkaline solution in the tank. This heater can take the form of a steam coil, an electric heater, or any other means capable of heating a liquid.

The compartment Ci is supplied with lime wathrough an inlet pipe 64 The compartment ment. Excess water can overiow from the com-V partment C1 through an overow outlet 86 in the The lime water can be supplied in a heated condition through the inlet pipe S4, or a heater, such as a steam coil H, can be. mounted in the compartment C in the manner shown in Figure 5.

The lime water is preferably maintained satperiphery thereof for agitat.

48 drum 41 from passes upwardly to this guide wheel 51 it can be subjected to a blast of air from a fan such as F illustrated in Figure l. The lime coating on the rod is thusdried. If the length above the mac e is appreciable the fan F need not be used,a as the hot lime coating on the rod urated with lime and heated near the boilingV temperature of the suspension or around 200 F.

If desired, the compartment C1 can initially be lled with lime water and live steam can be injected into the compartment from the pipe 63. heat the lime water and lime 41 serves to pull the rod through the descaling sheaves and also serves as a support for immersing the rod in the alkaline cleaning solution in of the rod is Y contacts the air, the

in the atmosphere. The lime against oxidation and moisture.`

It desired the alkaline cleaning solution tion of the apparatus can be eliminated as shown In Figure 6, the rod R from the horizontally aligned sheaves 32, I2 and 33 can pass directly through the guide 49 around a drum 'I0 rotatably mounted in the tak 1| containing lime water. inlet 12. The drum 10 is driven through a gear train including gears 13 and 'M from a sprocket 'l driven directly from a prime mover or from a moving part of a fabricating machine (not After passage around the drum 'M a the compartments C and be emptied by means of drain plugs P threaded into the bottom portion ofthetank.

The rod is wrapped for a desired number of turns around positively driven drums extending into the treating bath to control the thickness or amount of the lime coating on the rod. drums preferably carry during each revolution obtained. on the drum comes up so that multi-immersion VAs each turn oi therod out oi' the lime bath and lime coating on the rod is the drum.

.of travel of. the rod in the atmosphere the rod out of the bath Y A treating machine.

Athe invention is adapted for or strips to remove baths maintained therein.

f material from plurality of vention is used. also servesas an emcient base cant used.

While the apparatus has been speciiically described in the drawings in connection with a rodit should be understood that use on strip stockv and the particular `shape of the elongatedmetal treated is not important. If strip th'e descallng sheaves would be f arranged to receive a iiat ribbon instead or a round rod.

' I claim as 1. A machine ior'cleaning metaiwire, rods mill scale therefrom which comprises a pair of adjacent drums receiving a plurality of turns of the metal material therearound, an overhead guide above the drums for directing the metal material from one drum to thenext. tanks partially surrounding said drums for immersing the metal material thereon in and common means tor positively drivina both 2. A machine t strip material which adjacent .drums each' receiving turns .of the metal metariel therearound, means said drums, a sheave spaced verdrums for agitating one or above said iirst sheave for said second drum.

3. A' machine for cleaning metal wire. rod or strip material which comprises a tank having a adjacent comparhnents in side by side relation, a drum rotatably mounted in each compartment receiving a plurality of turns of the adjacent drum, and means transier means for guiding the metal material away from the discharge point o! said adjacent drumwhereby said compartments are adapted to 'receive liquid baths at levels below the tops of the drums and said are adapted to multi-immerse the metal material in 4. The continuous method scaled elongated metaimaterial which comprises feeding said material in a coiled path', immersingthe material as it advances path for a plurality of times in a hot caustic alkali solution, draining the caustic alkali solution from the multi-immersed metal. again drying the metal material aiterthe nnal immersionin the lime bath to produceia .clean limecoated metal material free from deleterious mill e. 5. The continuous process of tltreating descaied elongated metalmaterial which comprises leed d drying the material after on the material.

the nnalimmersion to produce a clean limecoated material free from deleteri us mill scale. PETER M. MURPHY.

each bath.. of treating de along said coiled coiled patti', im- 

